1.4 Cellular Differentiation Flashcards
What is cellular differentiation?
The process by which a cell expresses certain genes to produce proteins characteristic to that type of cell.
What does cellular differentiation allow a cell to do?
Carry out specialised functions.
What are meristems?
Regions of unspecialised cells in plants that can divide (self-renew) and/or differentiate.
What are the two types of stem cells in animals?
Embryonic and tissue (adult).
What are stem cells?
Unspecialised cells in animals that can divide (self-renew) and/or differentiate.
What does pluripotent mean?
Unlimited range of cell types.
Are embryonic stem cells pluripotent or multipotent?
Pluripotent.
Are tissue (adult) stem cells pluripotent or multipotent?
Multipotent.
Why can embryonic stem cells differentiate into any cell type?
All their genes can be turned on.
What are tissue stem cells involved in?
They are involved in the growth, repair and renewal of the cells found in that tissue.
What does multipotent mean?
Can differentiate into all the types of cell found in a particular tissue type.
What are the two things a stem cell can do?
•Divide repeatedly.
•Differentiate into specialised animal cells.
What are the two uses of stem cells?
•Research
•Therapeutic
How are stem cells used in research?
They are used as model cells.
How are model cells used for research?
They can be used to study how diseases develop, used for drug testing or for investigating cell processes.
What information can stem cells provide?
Information on how cell processes such as cell growth, differentiation and gene regulation work.
What does therapeutic use of stem cells involve?
The repair of damaged or diseased organs or tissues.
What can stem cells from embryos do, under the right conditions, in the lab?
Self-renew
Give some examples of therapeutic stem cells currently being used.
Corneal repair and regeneration of damaged skin.
What are some of the uses of embryonic stem cells?
Effective treatments for disease and injury.
What are some of the potential uses of stem cells?
Stem cells could be used to replace any dead or damaged cells that cause disease such as Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries or regrow organs.
What are some of the ethical issues of using embryonic stem cells?
The use of embryonic stem cells destroys the embryo, which many believe to be taking of a human life.
